Could Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony ever work together?

In this file photo, New York Knicks' Carmelo Anthony, center, fights with Brooklyn Nets' Kevin Garnett, left, and Paul Pierce for a rebound during the first half of the NBA game at Madison Square Garden Monday, Jan. 20, 2014, in New York. (Seth Wenig/The Associated Press file)

In this file photo, Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant gives a thumbs-up to a fan during the NCAA game between Duke and Miami in Coral Gables, Fla., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2014. (Alan Diaz/The Associated Press file)

NEW YORK — The two men have stepped into Madison Square Garden on separate instances, exuding the same qualities that have defined their greatness.

Kobe Bryant traveled to the World’s Most Famous Arena five years ago, sparking a partisan Knicks crowd into MVP chants after capping an arena-record 61 points with a 12-foot jumper that entailed spinning off his pivot foot. Friday night, Carmelo Anthony provided temporary relief to the Knicks’ dysfunctional ways by breaking Bryant’s record against Charlotte, a 62-point affair that featured a 45-foot half-court heave and a flurry of jumpers.

The Lakers (16-28) enter a matinee Sunday against the Knicks (16-27) with few answers on how to stop Anthony from topping his own record-setting performance. L.A. has lost 15 of its past 18 games, including its last three, while ranking 29th out of 30 NBA teams in total defense (105.8 points). Bryant also can’t steal Anthony’s scoring spotlight, considering the Lakers star remains sidelined with a fractured left knee.

But assuming Anthony opts out of his contract this summer to become an unrestricted free agent, could he become the Lakers’ signature piece toward rebuilding? Heat forward Chris Bosh recently called Bryant and Anthony “two of the best scorers the league has ever seen,” even while playing with LeBron James.

But could such overlapping qualities yield an NBA championship? Could the close relationship Bryant and Anthony forged since playing together on the 2008 U.S. Olympic team lead to a fruitful partnership?

“I think it would be fine,” said Lakers forward Wesley Johnson, who’s close to Anthony after both played at Syracuse in separate stints and is also close to Bryant after sharing the same agent, Rob Pelinka. “Everybody says it would be difficult for them to play together. But if they’re on the same team, they would make it work. They’re both pros and know how to play basketball. It’s not going to be difficult.”

There’s plenty of skepticism, though.

First, Anthony would have to find the Knicks’ lack of a supporting cast distasteful and his standing as the franchise player no longer desirable. To do so, Anthony would have to pass up a five-year contract worth up to $129 million with New York in favor of a four-year deal worth up to $96 million with any other team, including the Lakers.

Doubts also persist both inside and outside the Lakers that they’d even want Anthony to suit up in a purple and gold uniform.

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Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni resigned from New York in 2012 after a 121-167 record through four seasons ended with philosophical differences surrounding Anthony’s role. Anthony’s tendency to take a high volume of shots in the post and in isolation sets doesn’t mesh with D’Antoni’s preference for swift ball movement. And the Lakers haven’t offered any indication they would part ways with D’Antoni, with general manager Mitch Kupchak praising him earlier this month on how he’s handled an injury-depleted roster.

With Bryant already signed to a two-year, $48.5 million extension, the Lakers would also have little wiggle room to build a legitimate roster with Anthony in the fold. Larry Coon, an independent NBA salary cap expert who works as an IT director at UC Irvine, estimated that the Lakers would have $4.1 million in remaining cap room and $2.7 million to spend on a mini mid-level exception. Those numbers assume the Lakers part ways with Pau Gasol and waive Steve Nash through the stretch provision. Anthony’s arrival would also leave the Lakers without any room to pursue free agents in 2015, which would include Kevin Love, LaMarcus Aldridge, Marc Gasol and Rajon Rondo.

“I love Carmelo, but I don’t think putting Carmelo and Kobe together and tying up their cap for the next four years with a huge contract makes sense,” said TNT analyst Steve Kerr. “I can’t imagine they get LeBron, but you never know. Barring that, the wise thing for the Lakers is to get as lean as possible, get picks and resist the temptation for the quick fix.”

Of course, there’s also the Bryant-Anthony dynamic, too.

Over the years, Bryant and Anthony have shared how they remain the closest among each other in the NBA. Bryant’s wife, Vanessa, and Anthony’s wife, La La, are also friends.

Bryant and Anthony have shown equal admiration for each other’s scoring abilities. Bryant related to and stood up for Anthony when he faced criticism for demanding Denver trade him three years ago and for taking a large share of the scoring load both with the Nuggets and Knicks. Anthony helped bring out the lighter side of Bryant’s personality during their time in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

“Can they play together? They are such great players, of course they can play together,” said Pacers associate coach Nate McMillan, a former assistant on the U.S. Men’s Olympic team. “All of those guys made the adjustment. It’s simple basketball. If you’re double-teamed, move the ball. If not, there’s nobody in the world that can stop any of those guys. They made the commitment to pass the ball and play unselfish basketball.”

That was in the Olympics. How about the NBA?

“The Olympics is a sprint and it’s a honeymoon. This is a grind and a marathon,” Bosh said. “Guys have to give up and do things they normally don’t do. It sounds good. But I know from experience. When it comes down to it, it becomes really difficult and it’s a learning curve. You have to make the curve as short as possible.”

Bosh then added one thing to consider before even knowing how Anthony’s arrival would unfold.